Today: 1979 June 18-July 1

It's been a minute, since I visited my father's journal he kept during my senior year of high school. Since we're crushing on toward Thanksgiving, I'll be doing some catch up in order to finish at the new year, right in time with my old man. I've done away with all the pithy dates of rememberance on each day. Tedious, they are! A remembrance, say, of the sinking of the Lusitania, had little to do with our modest life on McBride Street. Yet, they were a function of the brown, leather-bound book that came with our World Book Encyclopedia set. Clearly, my dad was not too much the philosophical type who would actually spend money on a diary in which to write down the every day events of his life. Well. He might have been the philosophical type. He just took advantage of this journal being there at the end of the set. People would go around selliing sets of encyclopedias back then. That, my friends, was the internet of the 1970s. Dad sure didn't give Paul Palcovic much of a break at Crescent Brick, up there by the Hyde Bridge. But they seemed to get along, all of the crew there, to some degree. I'd love to talk to those guys or their kids and see what they remember of those days. Big day for me in this installment. The sixth of seven kids, I was the first and only one to attend a four year college. I seem to remember college did not cost what it does today and my family had a lot of state and federal grants. Still, my college was a great cost to my family and I graduated without debt; something that could be managed back then at a small school like Slippery Rock. Dad's idea of vacation... three weeks... was more that he didn't have to go to work. There were no trips to anyplace. And he just redoubled his work on his yard, flower beds, wood pile for winter and his beast of a garden.

Dad in his TV chair holding baby Sarah.

Monday, June 18

Daily Number: 368

Worked in morning doing brick samples.

Ground P.C.E. and made bars & wrote up

more brick in afternoon. Perry & I were going to cut wood in evening

but cancelled as it looked like rain.

Mary and I went to Herb & Tom's and got

groceries for tomorrow, My 53 birthday.

Watered flower beds and put cow manure

on some other things. Hope it rains during

the night. Bob Enoch is to be in I think tomorrow.

Tuesday, June 19

Daily Number: 078

Just done regular work today.

Nothing much special.

This was my birthday. Punk & kids, Cookie,

Daryl & Matt and Mildred were all here

for ham supper.

Nice having them. Kind of different without Ivey. As she was

always here before. All in all a very nice day.

Wednesday, June 20

Daily Number: 681 Bob Enoch in today.

Not much work but managed to keep busy.

In evening, Perry & Mark & Mary & I went

out on Dubeck Road and cut some more wood. I had a very nice load. Perry wasn't loaded

quite as heavy. Came home and tied up peas that wind had

blowed down. Emery Kester & Wife cut plum trees & other

trees out by Vera's garden. They piled it on

my ground with my permission.

Thursday, June 21

Daily Number: 080 Bob Enoch in till noon. He left for Norristown.

Seems like a waste for him to be up here for

so llittle. Mowed lawn in evening and worked getting

garbage out. Paul P was in lab in afternoon working on

his car again. He seemed like he was high

as his movements were not right. Must be on dope.

Probably grass. Mary over at her mother's tonight. She isn't good.

Friday, June 22

Daily Number: 363

This is the last day before i go on vacation

for the next three weeks. Only did the least all day. Lent P.P. my car in afternoon to take Turk

to vet. He obviously didn't like it, but it

kept him dry. He never thought of that. Next week, the other guys begin work

at 7.00 a.m. off at 3.30 p.m. Mowed lawn in evening.

Saturday, June 23

Worked in garden & flower beds most of day.

Mowed some of the yard also. Went to Ames and got oil filter and changed oil

in '72. Put new filter on also then greased car

to be ready to go to Slippery Rock on Monday. All in all a good day.

Sunday, June 24

Worked with Mary washing the car.

We also got rug in trunk.

Have everything in good shape for tomorrow

trip to Slippery Rock for orientation.

Watched some T.V. and went to bed.

Monday, June 25

Daily Number: 534 Left for campus at 6:15 a.m.

Filled up with gas. Was lucky it took $4.00

but the attendant did not charge me the

$5.00 min. After getting into the dorm we brought

the car around and parked.

We were quite busy the rest of the day

with different meetings. Went to bed at 10:30 p.m.

Had trouble getting the car started in

the Boron parking lot off I-80.

Tuesday, June 26 Daily Number: 299 Up early but packed and took luggage

to car. Went to breakfast then Mary & I

went for a walk around campus. Back to meeting.

Finally ate lunch and checked out.

Started back to Clearfield about 2 pm.

Got home about 4 p.m.

Good trip.

Watered garden & flower beds

Then got lottery numbers added to my system.

Went to bed quite tired. Took chain saw to Ed's to be sharpened. Pick up tomorrow. Wednesday, June 27

Daily Lottery: 587

Worked tearing out Shawn's closet floor

To make room for new staircase.

Worked outside some in the evening.

Nice not having to go to the brickyard.

Thursday, June 28

Daily Number: 982

Called for Perry at brickyard but P.P.

answered phone. He said they were

paid so I went up and got my check. Cashed it at A&P. Bought some groceries

and gas for car.. Did not do much work today. Morgan is to bring me plaster board in

morning. 11 sheets.

Friday, June 29

Daily Number: 928

I put on 3 sheets of plaster board today. Pud and I went to Philipsburg for Pud's car. I had my door glass fixed. Pud's car run really nice on way home. Their is transmission leaking from it. I checked it and it was two quarts above

full mark. I called Dave about it and told

him I would keep an eye on it. I'll take it back if it continues to leak. Morgan brought plaster board down today. Saturday, June 30

Daily Number: 667 Morgan came down about 11 (p.m. sic) with

Punky & kids. Morgan and I worked on the

living room all day.

Framed door and worked putting plaster board on. Daryl was up in the evening and stayed

a long time talking. I was tired and went to bed about ten.

Sunday, July 1

Got up and weeded garden

Pulled out all my radishes as they were

going to seed. Mary is at Ivey's as she is not good and

Grace wants to go to see her mother. I was sorting out my mail for the last week

as it got ahead of me.

Am not working on living room today

as I want to rest a little.